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September
Baking
Kite Biscuits
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These colourful kite biscuits are really easy to make
and are perfect for little fingers to decorate. Have fun
adding faces, colours, spots and stripes to make lots of
different designs that would look great displayed on a
plate or
standing in a glass.
Lemon Biscuits
Use this lemon biscuit recipe
as featured in issue 110 of Cakes & Sugarcraft to
make your kite biscuits.
Ingredients
·
220g (7 ¾ oz) plain flour
·
¼ tsp salt
·
30g (1oz) semolina
·
125g (4 ½ oz) butter
·
125g (4 ½ oz) caster sugar
·
1 egg
·
Rind of 1 lemon
·
Wooden cookie sticks or kebab sticks
Ingredients
1. Sift the flour
and salt into a mixing bowl then use a wooden spoon to
mix in the semolina.
2. Allow the butter
to soften then lightly rub into the mixture until it
resembles breadcrumbs. Gently stir in the sugar.
3. Beat the egg with
a fork then add to the mixture along with the grated
rind of a lemon (or your preferred flavouring). Bind the
mixture together to form a stiff paste.
4. Wrap the dough in
greaseproof paper and place in the refrigerator for at
least one hour, but preferably overnight.
5. Preheat the oven
to 180°C, 350°F or gas mark 4.
6. Roll out the
dough thinly on a board dusted with flour and cut out
the required shapes using cutters or the templates
provided.
7.
Place the shapes over cookie sticks or kebab sticks,
gently press down on the dough, then place onto a
lightly greased baking tray.
8. Bake the biscuits
in the oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until pale and
golden.
9. Remove the
biscuits from the oven and leave on the tray to cool
until they are crisp.
10. Store in an
airtight container until you are ready to decorate. The
biscuits will keep well for us to two weeks providing
they are not stored with cake or pastry, as this will
cause them to lose their crispness.
Decoration
·
Squires Kitchen Sugar Dough: 200g
(7oz) Red, 200g (7oz) Yellow
·
Edible decorations of your choice
·
Icing sugar in a sugar shaker
·
Squires Kitchen Edible Glue
Equipment
·
Template or diamond shaped cutter
·
Small knife
·
Rolling pin
·
Paintbrush
·
Scissors
·
50cm (20”) x 3mm
wide ribbon
Method
1.
Lightly dust the work surface with
icing sugar and roll out a thin
layer of SK Sugar Dough.
2.
Using either a diamond cutter or the
diamond shaped template and a small knife, cut out
enough diamonds of SK Sugar Dough to cover all of the
biscuits.
3.
Brush the tops of the biscuits with SK
Edible Glue and gently press the Sugar Dough diamonds on
top. Indent lines in the paste from one corner to
another with the back of a knife.
4.
Decorate the biscuits using SK Edible
Glue to attach edible decorations or royal icing to pipe
detail on top of the Sugar Dough. Alternatively, form
faces on the kites by moulding small pieces of different
coloured Sugar Dough and attaching with SK Edible Glue.
5.
Cut the ribbon into small pieces and
tie a series of bows around the tops of the cookie
sticks.
Find this and many other children’s
projects in
Cakes & Sugarcraft
issue 110, available now from
www.squires-shop.com
The secret
to amazing cakes
If you enjoy making and decorating
cakes, then Cakes & Sugarcraft
is a must-read magazine which
keeps you up to date with trends, tips and techniques.
This glossy title comes out four times a year and is
packed with projects for all skill levels, from the
absolute beginner to the professional.
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Each project is beautifully photographed and comes
complete with easy-to-follow, step-by-step instructions
for decorating everything from wedding cakes to
cupcakes.
Whether you bake for fun or for a
living, Cakes & Sugarcraft is an
invaluable source of skills, expert knowledge and the
latest news in the world of cake decorating and
sugarcraft.
For delicious recipes and cake
decorating ideas, subscribe now
P&P free at the
great price of £19.96 (UK) to have this fantastic glossy
magazine delivered straight to your door. Simply visit
www.squires-shop.com or call 0845 61 71 810 (+44 (0)1252
260 260 from overseas). Overseas subscriptions are also
available: Europe £28, rest of world £34.
If you enjoy cake decorating and
sugarcraft and would like to be kept up to date with all
the latest information, then sign up for the Squires
Kitchen E-newsletter! It’s easy and
FREE to receive this
monthly newsletter packed with special offers, new
products, courses, events, hints and tips, features,
news, and more. Simply visit
www.squires-shop.com
and
go to the Newsletter page to sign up.
Learn a new
skill!
If you would like to learn more, come
and join Squires Kitchen’s friendly courses held in the
beautiful Georgian town of
Farnham, Surrey.
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Squires Kitchen’s School caters for all
skill levels from beginners to advanced students. To
find out more, visit
www.squires-school.co.uk
or call 0845 61 71 812 or +44
(0)1252 260 262 (overseas).
www.squires-shop.com
is an inspirational source for anyone who loves to be
creative in the kitchen. Visit squires-shop.com today
and make your food look fabulous!
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September Crafts Project
Pretty Decorated
Jam Jars
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These pretty Decorated Jam Jars would make a lovely
present for a friend or relative. Fill them with your
own home-made jam or preserves. This crafts project has
been created by Hobbycraft.
You Will Need
·
Clean jam jars
·
Preserve sealing and labelling set
·
Ribbon
·
Permanent pen
How to Decorate the Jam Jars
1. Decorate
the jam jars with co-ordinating labels and paper
toppers.
2. Use
permanent pen to hand write the labels.
3. Instead of rubber bands, why
not tie thin ribbon to the paper toppers for a pretty
finish.
For information about HobbyCraft projects
visit the website at
www.hobbycraft.co.uk
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Brighton
Art Fair
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Regency Corn Exchange from
16th - 19th September
The highly acclaimed Brighton
Art Fair is held every Autumn at
the beautiful Regency Corn
Exchange in the heart of the
city. Showcasing over 120
contemporary artists and
attracting a capacity audience
of just over 5000 visitors, the
fair has built a strong
reputation for exhibiting
exceptional quality artwork in a
welcoming, friendly environment.
Now in its seventh year, the
Brighton Art Fair is the largest
visual art exhibition on the
South Coast with year on year
sales growth exceeding
expectations with over half a
million pounds worth of art
being sold in 2009, not
including the commissioning work
which inevitably arises from
such events.
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Painters, printmakers,
ceramicists, photographers and
sculptors will be exhibiting,
chosen in a rigorous and
competitive selection process to
represent the most exciting and
eclectic work across as wide a
variety of methods and subjects
as possible.
This art fair is almost unique
in that the artists themselves
sell their work direct to the
public, bringing a personal feel
to viewing and to the buying
process. Visitors enjoy meeting
the artists - learning about
their creative inspirations,
techniques and future projects.
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The Brighton Art Fair is
delighted to welcome back the
ARTHOUSE Meath, a charitable
enterprise that creates and
exhibits artworks for sale in
printmaking and painting which
celebrate the skills and talents
of adults with learning
disabilities, many of whom live
with severe epilepsy and
physical disabilities.
ARTHOUSE Meath highly regards
the skills and abilities of all
its artists and the work offers
an insight to a way of seeing
the world, has humour and warmth
and will inspire us all.
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Tickets are available on the
door priced £6 (children under
14 free). Entrance includes an
exhibitor catalogue.
Visit
www.brightonartfair.co.uk
for full information and details
of special offers.
Pictures show from top:
1. Beach Huts in Winter
by Andy Beck
2. Hove Promenade by
Andy Beck
3. Spring Day on the Thames by
Dawn Stacey
4. Winter Evening by Dawn Stacey
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Take Your Dog
for a Walk in the
Peak District
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Paul Downing, Maynard Director
with George the Labrador
When Peak District
hotel and restaurant The Maynard
in Grindleford launched a range
of walks for pooches and their
owners, they couldn’t have
guessed that they would prove so
popular, not just with locals,
but with the national dog press,
who have literally ‘taken the
lead’ in following these walks
with man’s best friend. Several
representatives of the canine
media have already stayed at The
Maynard, to find out themselves
what all the barking is about!
Known as ‘George’s Walks’
after Maynard director Paul
Downing’s Labrador George, the
series of walks have been
compiled by George with a lot of
help from local Peak
District guide Sally Mosley and
have already attracted the
attention of several the
national ‘doggie’ media.
So what did the ‘hound
hacks’ make of The
Maynard? “Perhaps the ultimate
destination,” one editor
reported, while another
presented an in-depth guide to
one of the walks. Another writer
described the experience as
“…comfortable, inviting,
welcoming and very relaxing,
with hotel food and service of a
high standard.”
Unlike many hotels of its
calibre, The Maynard prides
itself on being both dog and
walker friendly and these walks
have been developed to
help patrons and their pets get
the most out of the stunning
countryside on The Maynard’s
doorstep. Each walk starts and
finishes at The Maynard, so on
completion man and his best
friend can both enjoy a well
deserved drink.
The hotel is
dog-friendly, so your pooch can
stay overnight in boutique hotel
luxury - there’s no need for you
and your hound to go anywhere
else for a short break this
year.
Paul Downing, Director at The Maynard and sister venue Whirlowbrook
Hall, says, “While George’s
Walks can be followed by anyone,
we have designed them
expressly for dog owners, so we
were delighted to receive
interest from the dog press and
welcome some of their editors to
The Maynard. We have been able
to provide some great walking
ideas for visitors to get the
most out of The Peaks and their
visit to The Maynard. George and
I love them and it’s great that
the editors and their dogs feel
the same.”
The walks have been
designed so there is something
for all abilities, ranging from
a gentle 3.5 miles, to a more
demanding 8.5 mile route for the
fitter dog and owner! Each of
the walks has been tested
by George and include the ‘Gorge
Walk’ via the Longshaw Estate to
Padley Gorge, ‘Pilgrimage,
plague and a pot of tea’, which
takes in the delights of the
famous plague village Eyam and
Hazelford Hall and ‘In Search of
Little John,’ which takes
walkers on a six mile march back
in time to trace the local
origins of one of Robin Hood’s
closest allies.
Following
a major
hotel and restaurant
refurbishment two years ago, The
Maynard has been transformed,
with a contemporary, yet classic
interior that complements the
Victorian building to
perfection. The hotel remains a
magnet for walkers and ramblers
and continues to make pets
welcome.
All new menus ensure
there is plenty to tempt both
regular and new diners alike and
with all dishes reasonably
priced, eating at one of the few
restaurants in the whole of
South Yorkshire and north
Derbyshire with two AA rosettes
has never been so affordable.
Other walks of different lengths
and difficulty are available
from reception or from
T
The
Maynard’s website
www.themaynard.co.uk
Having lived in
and guided people in Derbyshire
and the Peak District for over
50 years, Sally Mosley is a well
known local figure and her
wealth of knowledge of the Peaks
made her the perfect person to
help George in compiling these
walks to and from The Maynard.
For full details of the guided
walk services offered by Sally
Mosley you can visit her website at
www.sallymosley.co.uk
To book a table at
The Maynard or book into the
hotel, telephone 01433 630321 or
email
restaurant@themaynard.co.uk
For general
information about
The Maynard click on
www.themaynard.co.uk
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Somerset Open
Art Studios
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18th September to 3rd October
Over 200 studios and venues
across Somerset will be
displaying artworks from nearly
300 artists/makers between
Saturday 18th September and
Sunday 3rd October as part of
this year’s Somerset Art Weeks
Open Studios fortnight. The
event will focus on individual
artists in their working
environment looking at how they
work, their inspiration and
creative processes.
A diverse range of artworks will
be showcased from pottery,
glass, basketry and watercolour
to textiles, wood and metal work
as well as print, photography
and several site-specific
installations.
Artists of regional and national
repute such as James Lynch
(painting); Pauline Rook
(photography), Julia Manning
(print), Janette Kerr
(painting), Rod Page (wood), Tom
and Kim Atherton (glass) and
Michael Fairfax (site-specific
installation), will be opening
their studios alongside an
increasing number of emerging
talented artists including Lucy
Brown (ceramics) and Kitty
Hillier (painting).
For the first time, a new Art
Weeks exhibition programme is
being introduced with displays
at the Brewhouse Theatre,
Taunton; AIR Gallery in Wells
and the Meeting House, Ilminster.
Somerset Art Weeks and
Somerset’s arts education
development agency (SPAEDA),
are also working on a project to highlight young artistic talent in
Somerset with a temporary studio
at the Octagon Theatre, Yeovil.
For a colour guide to the
Somerset Art Weeks 2010 email
info@somersetartwork.org.uk
or call Telephone: 01458 253 800
More information can also be
found on the website at
www.somersetartworks.org.uk
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Sixtyplusurfers Competition
Win
Crayola Back
to School Stationery
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Just tell us the
name of this famous children's author?
a)
A.A. Milne
b)
P.D. James
c)
J.K. Rowling
d)
J.R.R. Tolkien
What you will win!
Win
Crayola Back
to School Stationery
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Sixtyplusurfers has teamed up with
Crayola to offer three lucky readers the
chance to win some handy Back to School stationery - the
perfect gift for your grandchildren and ideal for all
those arts and crafts projects you can enjoy together.
This useful
prize includes a pack of 5 Handwriting Pens, a pack of 3
Twistable Graphite Pencils, a pack of 10 Twistable
Colouring Pencils, and a pack of 12 Twistable Crayons.
The Crayola Back to School range
All children use pens as part of their education, so
Crayola have introduced the pack of 5 Handwriting Pens
(RRP £3.99). Brand new for 2010, these useful pens have
a smooth ink laydown and the ink dries very quickly - so
no smudges, which is particularly handy for left handed
writers out there! The Handwriting Pens also feature
washable ink technology – so there’ll be no permanently
stained white school shirts to worry about for parents!
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Also brand new for 2010 are the 3 Twistable Pencils (RRP
£1.29). A new twist on standard school pencils, these
resemble woodcase pencils but no sharpening is needed as
they use the same mechanical system as the Crayola
Twistable Pencils and include latex free erasers and
strong #2 HB graphite leads, which will not break when
writing. They’ll therefore last longer, which is great
news for kids and Mums!
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The 12 Twistable Crayons (RRP £2.99) are wax sticks with
an added twist! All you have to do is twist the end of
the durable plastic barrel and it’s time to get drawing!
The Twistable Crayons include 12 vibrant colours and
come in a storage wallet which can be used again and
again. They also have no labels, so no messy peeling
required!
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12 Colouring Pencils (RRP £2.39) are the staples of the
school pencil case and are also available in packs of 24
(RRP £4.29) and 36 (RRP £6.29) Each pencil has a high
breakage strength, making them far harder to break -
there’s nothing more annoying than a pencil that breaks
each time you sharpen it! Each pencil gives a smooth
intense colour lay down for perfect blending and
shading. No need to worry about sharpening before you
head for school – it’s all done for you as they’re
pre-sharpened.
Crayola Back to School stationery is available from all
good toy retailers. For stockist information please call
Telephone: 01702 200 660 or visit
www.vividimaginations.co.uk
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For more information on Crayola check out
www.crayola.com
To Enter the Competition
Just tell us the name of the famous children's author
shown at the top of the competition. Then send in your
answer, together with your full name and postal address
and telephone number by clicking on the link below:
sixtyplusurfers@hotmail.co.uk
* This competition is open to our
UK visitors only
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September
Crafts Project
Make this
Union Jack Cushion
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This patriotic Union Jack Cushion is great for
livening up a plain armchair or jazzing up a
guest room. This
easy to make
September crafts project has
been created
by HobbyCraft.
You Will Need
·
0.5m blue gingham fabric
·
0.25m red patterned fabric
·
1.2m length red satin ribbon
·
0.25m white felt
·
2.4m length white ric-rac
· Heat 'n'
Bond No-Sew
· Machine
thread - white
·
Iron
How to Make the
Cushion
1. Cut
two 40 cm square panels from the gingham and set
one aside.
2. Cut
the following, and iron Heat 'n' Bond strips to
the reverse of each, 2 x 56cm red ribbon, 4 x
56cm ric-rac, 2 x 40cm lengths red fabric 6cm
wide (or rip for a frayed-edge look), 2 x 40cm
lengths white felt 8cm wide.
3. Bond
the above to the cushion by ironing on in the following
order - both ribbons, diagonally, all the ric-rac
diagonally, both pieces of the white felt in a cross,
both of the red pieces in a cross.
4. Place
two panels back to back, pin and machine stitch a seam
around three sides 1cm in from the edge.
5. Insert
pad and slip stitch seam closed.
*
Handy Tip
Alternatively, you could make an
envelope-type back to the panel of the cushion which overlaps and
enables the pad to be removed from the cover for easy washing.
For information about HobbyCraft projects visit
the website at
www.hobbycraft.co.uk
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